Compare towns
Amherst vs Exeter vs Lee vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Amherst | Exeter | Lee | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861 |
16,151Highest |
4,576Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Amherst and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
— | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Exeter High School | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.1 |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 10 photos → | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.